Curiosity is the Mother of 'INNOVATION'. Advent of rapid prototyping technology has opened up new perspectives for design & production in the field of Prosthodontics.Rapid prototyping refers to the automatic construction of mechanical models with 3D printers or stereolithography machines. When attempting to restore a face with a prosthesis, the prosthesis should ideally be customized to restore the anatomy as closely as possible. This process is difficult & time consuming & demands a high level of artistic skill to form a mirror image & achieve a good esthetic match. Rapid prototyping methodologies use an additive process of building an object in layers defined by a computer model that has been virtually sliced. Limitations to use of rapid prototyping technology include the high cost of the equipment, complicated machinery needed, and reliance on special expertise to run the machinery during production .The expense could be justified in light of the many other applications that could benefit from the rapid prototyping which includes construction of surgical stent, fabrication of burn stents ,without subjecting sensitive burn tissues to impression- taking procedures, manufacturing of lead shields to protect healthy tissue during radiotherapy & production of study models prior to surgery for pre-surgical planning. This article reviews the development & current technology available in rapid prototyping & application of this innovative technology in Prosthodontics.

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Maxillofacial prosthodontics is an art and science which provides life-like appearance to the missing structures of an individual. Planning the prosthesis, making the impression, sculpting the model and choosing the material - all contribute to a successful prosthesis. A case report has been presented where a custom made finger prosthesis; comfortable in use and esthetically acceptable to the patient was fabricated; using silicone material.

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The clinical management of a patient with bilateral maxillectomy is reported. Reconstruction of the hard palate, nasal wall, maxillectomy site and cheek skin was done with free fibular osetomyocutaneous flap. Prosthetic rehabilitation with secondary insertion of osseointegrated implant was planned for this patient. This patient was assessed for speech and mastication with altered oral anatomy after rehabilitation.

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The choice of a suitable prosthesis for a specific case is determined to a great extent by the number, position and salvagability of the existing teeth as well as the mucosa and underlying residual bone. Also of significance are the expectations and demands of the patient from the prosthesis. The following case report discusses the rehabilitation of a partially edentulous patient with an Implant retained, tooth and mucosa supported mandibular removable partial denture against conventional maxillary removable partial denture.

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Making impressions is an important part of every dental practice; it's often overlooked in both its importance and economic impact on our practices. An efficient and predictable preliminary impression often yields to well fitting prosthesis. To achieve similar goals, clinical tip is presented herein utilizing a combination of materials.

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Polymers are the dominant materials for fabrication of denture bases because of their acceptable physical, biologic, and esthetic characteristics. Metal alloys are advisable in those situations in which the resin denture bases fail due to several reasons such as poor adaptation, inability to tolerate excessive masticatory forces, and so on. In metal denture base positioning of resin-metal junction (external finish line) is very much important so as to minimize weight, maximize strength, and ensure proper palatal contours. The objective information available regarding the exact location of external finish line in a metal base denture is not sufficient. In the past, placement of this external finish line was somewhat arbitrary. Improper placement of resin-metal finish lines may adversely affect phonetics. This clinical report describes a new technique to locate external finish line precisely in metal base maxillary denture. This technique is easy to do, cost effective and reduces post-insertion visits by the patient.

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AIM: To identify the most accurate impression technique and the ideal impression material to transfer the intra-oral position of implant fixtures to the working cast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: About 30 impressions of the reference model were made using polyvinyl siloxane (Group I) and polyether (Group II) with 15 impressions each. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups based on the trays used; stock metal tray, closed custom tray, and open-window custom tray. Specific dimensions of the resultant casts were measured using coordinated measuring microscope. Mean actual cast error and subgroup's actual cast error was calculated and statistically analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: The subgroup's mean actual cast error observed in Group I - A, B, and C was 0.02825 ± 0.0091, 0.01679 ± 0.0055, and 0.08442 ± 0.01516 mm, respectively. The subgroup's mean actual cast error observed in Group II - A, B, and C was 0.03035 ± 0.0164, 0.01924 ± 0.0051, and 0.0212 ± 0.010 mm, respectively. There was no statistical significance between the observed differences. CONCLUSIONS: All the techniques studied showed some distortion and the difference had no statistical significance. The selection of impression technique and impression material can be based on clinical situation and according to the clinician's preference.

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One of the commonest problems experienced by a dentist is the broken teeth on the master cast, which occurs during retrieval from the impression, especially when the anterior teeth have gingival recession and open interdental spaces. This article describes a technique of preventing the breakage of cast, by adapting wax on non-critical surfaces intra-orally and thus, reinforcing the critical surfaces. This technique is simple and requires minimal chair side time.

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Several reasons contribute to the loss or absence of interdental papillae and establishment of 'black triangles' following the placement of bridges/individual crowns or restoration of implants, mainly in the anterior region. The most common reason for the absence in the adult population is loss of periodontal support because of plaque-associated lesions. The other causes include abnormal tooth shape, improper contour of prosthetic restorations and traumatic oral hygiene procedures. These Black Triangles appear extremely unesthetic and are unacceptable to the patients who deserve more than 'these will fill up in a few week's time' from the dentist. It is evident that something as seemingly insignificant as the interdental papilla can shatter the esthetic results of the best fabricated crowns. Several surgical and non-surgical procedures have been proposed to treat the soft tissue deformities in the interproximal areas. The non-surgical approaches modify the interproximal space whereas the surgical approaches aim to recontour, preserve or reconstruct the soft tissue between the teeth and implants. This review deals with an in-depth discussion of the interdental papilla, reasons for its absence around dental restorations and various documented methods of preserving and regenerating it so as to deliver the best overall prosthetic results. This review discusses the interdental papilla in detail and categorizes the various approaches to restore the same.

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Fabrication of a cast partial denture is a difficult process and every one does it a different way and in order to give a correct method, I have divided in to steps and given a pictorial method to make every one to understand the exact method of production of cast partial denture. It is an important process for every prosthodontist.

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All structural analysis and designing of an removable partial dentures (RPD) require a knowledge of the forces that will be applied and the ability of the structure to withstand these forces. An RPD is an appliance that allows 'controlled' movement in function under load to avoid impingement of tissues and injury to abutments. The load transfer characteristics of various RPD designs are important for best prognosis and longevity. Thus judicious incorporation of various components in an RPD involves counteraction of vertical, horizontal, and rotational forces to which an appliance is subjected in the oral cavity. The purpose of this article is to design an appliance based on isolation of various forces to which it is subjected during function.

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